About this Event
Join us for an immersive, four-hour workshop that puts you in the middle of a simulated cybersecurity incident, followed by a practical session on designing and facilitating effective tabletop exercises. Presented by ORNA and CriticalMatrix, and hosted at The Well with Allied REIT. Rather than simply observing a simulated incident, you will actively participate in the decision-making process, experiencing firsthand the challenges, uncertainties, and trade-offs that incident response teams face.
Part 1: Experience a Cyber Incident Tabletop Exercise (2 hours)
Work through a realistic, evolving cyber incident scenario: responding to new information, analyzing simulated technical evidence, evaluating potential threats, and making critical incident response decisions. As the scenario progresses, you will be challenged to consider detection, investigation, containment, escalation, communication, and recovery, with collaborative problem-solving and discussion of the operational and organizational implications of a cybersecurity incident.
Part 2: Learn to Design and Facilitate Tabletop Exercises (1 hour)
Explore the methodology behind building effective cybersecurity tabletop exercises. This practical session covers:
- Defining exercise objectives, scope, and intended outcomes
- Developing realistic cyber incident scenarios based on organizational risks and threat landscapes
- Structuring scenario progression through injects, simulated evidence, and decision points
- Incorporating technical, operational, and business considerations
- Developing discussion questions that challenge participants and expose preparedness gaps
- Facilitating exercises, evaluating responses, and translating observations into actionable improvements
You will gain a practical framework you can apply when developing tabletop exercises for your own organization or clients.
Who Should Attend: Cybersecurity professionals, including security analysts, incident responders, security consultants, IT and security managers, and GRC practitioners seeking to strengthen their incident response and exercise design capabilities. The content suits both experienced practitioners and professionals earlier in their cybersecurity careers. Foundational cybersecurity knowledge is expected, and discussions will incorporate technical and operational considerations without oversimplifying the material.
Workshop Format
- Duration: 4 hours, including approximately 1 hour for breaks and professional networking
- Format: Interactive, instructor-led tabletop simulation and scenario development workshop
- Prerequisites: Foundational understanding of cybersecurity concepts and incident response principles
Key Takeaway: Leave with practical experience navigating a simulated cyber incident and a structured approach to designing, facilitating, and evaluating cybersecurity tabletop exercises that help organizations improve their incident response readiness.
CPE: Earn 3 CPEs for attending this workshop.
Event venue & nearby stays
486 Front St W, 486 Front Street West, Toronto, Canada
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